Aftermath
by Ruby Foxburr of Loamsdown
Summary: From the time Frodo wakes in Ithilien, to when the hobbits return to the Shire. The account of the months after the Ring-War, going to the end of the Scouring of the Shire. A different account than what was in the books. R&R please.
1. Awakening

Aftermath Chapter One: Awakenings  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own it, for the millionth time!  
  
A/N: This fic will only go through the Scouring of the Shire. If you want to read about Frodo going to the Grey Havens, I haven't wrote one of those yet. Unless you count my poem, Into the West. Well, R&R, tell me what you think of this little idea! I start too many fics at once...lol.  
  
Frodo opened his eyes. It was bright, there was a window next to him and the sun shone through directly in the tired hobbit's eyes. Slowly he sat up, and saw a familiar pair of eyes looking down on him with a twinkle on happiness in them. "Gandalf?" he asked, his voice weak. The old wizard smiled. "Yes, my dear boy. It's Gandalf." he replied, laughing. Frodo jumped, giving his old friend a huge hug. "Where's Sam? Is he alright?" he asked suddenly, stopping with a worried look on his face. Gandalf pointed to the bed next to his. "He's still asleep. You've both been through something horrible, more horrible than anyone else could imagine. He'll come to shortly. Are you feeling alright, Frodo?" he asked. "Yes, I'm quite alright now that the eye is gone. I feel a great peace within me...the burden has been lifted. Tell me, Gandalf...how long was I asleep?" Frodo asked. "Four weeks. It's been four weeks since the Ring was thrown into the fire. You are lucky to be alive, my dear boy. Very lucky." Gandalf replied. "Wow...that long? Seems like it was only yesterday...that the great Eye was ever haunting me, stopping me from destroying the Ring. If it weren't for Gollum...I fear the Quest would have failed." Frodo said, ashamed.  
  
"Do not be ashamed, my dear boy! Did I not tell you in Moria, that I felt that Gollum still had some part to play yet ere his death? If you had not pitied him, but had killed him like you so wished to in Moria, then the Quest would have failed. The heart of a hobbit is large indeed, to pity such a thing as Gollum." Gandalf said, shaking his head. "You are right, as always, Gandalf. I feel quite tired...I think I shall sleep some more. Sam shall wake before me this time, I think. He shall not sleep much longer. Dear Sam...I would never have made it to Mordor if it weren't for him. He has been through much as well." Frodo said, laying back down. "Sleep, my dear boy. There is all the time in the world now to sleep, now that the great Evil is gone from this Middle-Earth. Recover your strength, Aragorn shall see to you shortly." Gandalf said, smiling, as he got up and left the room. 


	2. Reuniting

Aftermath Chapter Two: Reuniting  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own it, never have, never will. Though I do own Shelob....j/k.  
  
Aragorn quietly entered the sick room, smiling at the two hobbits laying in bed, sleeping soundly. They were incredible, really. But they looked horrible, even though they had been cleaned up when they got here. They were pale and ill-looking, and thin, very thin. They hadn't had a proper meal since they had left the Fellowship, he guessed, or a day or so after. Lembas bread didn't keep meat on your bones, and it was that elvish bread that had kept them alive through their journey to Mordor. He sat down between the two beds, looking over at Sam, smiling. Then he looked to Frodo, and to his four-fingered hand, and looked sadly at him. Taking his hand, he examined the place where the finger used to be. "Frodo...Frodo of the Nine Fingers...that is what we shall call him at the celebration when they are well. Neither of them are too badly hurt, except maybe in mind. I shall leave them to their rest...they deserve it." he said, getting up, taking one last look at each of the small beings in the room, and walking quietly away.  
  
Sam groaned, opening his eyes. He immediately shut them again, the light was too bright for him. "Where is this? Where is Mr. Frodo?" he sighed, as his eyes adjusted to the light and he opened them again. He looked down and saw himself in a white gown, in a huge bed with white sheets. The room was beautiful, and there was a pleasant smell to the air here, unlike Mordor. He looked to the bed beside him, smiling, as a few tears fell unbidden down his cheeks. "We made it Mr. Frodo...after all that happened, we made it. We can go home..." he whispered, still in mild shock from all the things that had happened. This place was quiet, his voice echoed off the walls. He was tired, so very tired, but he didn't want to fall back asleep. He wanted to be awake when Mr. Frodo came to, and see him smile again. Whispers came from the hallway. "No, Pip! Aragorn said to leave them be...they're tired, Pippin!" a familiar voice whispered. "I just want to see Frodo and Sam! I want to make sure this is real!" another familiar voice said. Sam smiled, as the two opened the door. Sam pretended to be asleep as the two snuck over to the beds quietly. "See? They're alive, Pip. Now lets go." Merry said, urgent. "Wait a minute, Merry. I want to watch them for a minute." Pippin replied. "What're you two up to this time?" Sam asked, opening his eyes. They jumped, frightened.  
  
"Sam! Were you awake this whole time?" Merry asked, quiet. He nodded. "You two sneakin' little runts, you'd best not wake Mr. Frodo, or I'll tell the cooks at dinner tonight not to serve you any mushrooms!" Sam laughed. "We aren't going to wake him, Sam. Pippin just wanted to make sure you two were really alive. We saw Mount Doom explode...we thought you were...." Merry whispered, trailing off, a single tear in his eye coursing down his cheek. "An' we thought we were too. We thought we'd never see the Shire, or you two, ever again. I thought I'd never see Rosie again, or my garden at Bagshot Row...and the most horrible part is, if it weren't for that hideous Gollum...the Ring wouldn't have been destroyed." Sam whispered. "What? Gollum? What do you mean, Sam?" Pippin asked. "You'll hear the story in full at the celebration when Mr. Frodo gets better. He can tell it better than I could. Though I can tell certain parts that he can't. I rescued him from orcs and Uruk-hai at Cirith Ungol, you know. And I saved him from a giant spider that was tryin' to eat him, too." he said. "So I suppose we'll have to hear those stories later, too." Merry asked. Sam nodded. "Go on, get out of here so Mr. Frodo can rest." he said, laughing.  
  
When Frodo awoke, he saw that Sam was gone. Smiling a little, he looked down at his finger. Or where it had used to be, anyway. 'It hurts so much...' he thought. "By all rights I shouldn't even be here. I couldn't finish the Quest, I couldn't throw the Ring in the fire. If it weren't for Gollum, Sauron would have the Ring." he told himself. "Frodo?!" Merry's familiar voice rang out, from the doorway. He looked up at them, a broad smile on his thin, pale face. "Merry! Pippin!" he cried, laughing. The two ran and literally jumped on him, laughing and shouting and telling stories all at once about the battles they had been in and things they had seen, and why they were so tall. Frodo couldn't take it all in, but it sounded as though the two were just fine. "Frodo!" Aragorn laughed, standing in the doorway. "Aragorn..." Frodo smiled, at the Ranger who was so kind to him and helped the Fellowship so much when Gandalf was gone. Aragorn came in and sat beside him in a chair, grinning. "Well done, laddie!" Gimli cried, coming in after him. Next came Legolas, looking like a true prince in all white and a silver circlet. He smiled fondly at Frodo, and nodded. Frodo nodded back, understanding. And last, but certainly not least, came Sam. He wore a gown as Frodo did, and looked nearly as horrible. Yet he smiled and walked over to his master, looking down at him with pride and honor. 'I don't deserve it...' thought Frodo.  
  
"Now don't go givin' me that look, Mr. Frodo. You just relax and get better. You've been through a lot, I know." he said, smiling. He took Frodo's four fingered hand and looked down at it, sadness in his eyes. 'It is true, though. We wouldn't have done it without that monster Gollum.' he thought, as if to read Frodo's thoughts. You're a sleepyhead, Sam. I was awake before you, I fell back asleep waiting for you to wake up!" Frodo laughed, smiling at him. "I suppose you did, Mr. Frodo. But you've got to build up your strength, or else you'll miss the celebrations. And we can't have the celebration without all of the heroes there!" Sam said, smiling. "But one." Frodo answered. "But one, Mr. Frodo. An' don't you doubt yourself, either! If it weren't for you, the Ring would have never reached Mt. Doom! I could have taken it for a little while, but I don't think I could get it all the way there. Beats me how you even did it." Sam said. "Because you were there, Sam. Because you were there...I wouldn't have even gotten to the Black Gate if it weren't for you, let alone all the way through Mordor to the Mountain of Fire. I'd have lost strength and hope long before then." Frodo said, quiet. "Even I lost hope before the end, Mr. Frodo. But we're here, an' it's over! Now we can go home!" Sam laughed. Frodo smiled a bit. Home. He never thought he would see it again. 


	3. Reminiscing

Aftermath  
  
Chapter Three: Reminiscing  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will...wish I did though.  
  
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A/N: I'm gonna format all the chapters from now on so that it's easier to read. People have been telling me to do this in reviews so I figure...oh, well. Might as well attempt it. Anyways...lots of Frodo angst here! Read on!  
  
It was quiet in Ithilien, and Frodo enjoyed it, if just a little. Though the land was ravaged with war it would make its recovery in time. This made him wonder... "  
  
"Shall I ever recover? Will the longing for the Ring ever leave me...or will I be troubled with it forever..." he said to himself, halfway expecting Gandalf, Galadriel or some high power to show up and give him his answer. But no one did. He sighed, looking out the window. They were going down to the dining hall soon, and there would be a celebration in his honor, as well as Sam's. Soft singing echoed from the hall outside his door. It was in the elvish tongue, Frodo could only understand snatches of it. Something about light in the dark and rebirth, a melancholy yet joyful tune that only elves could produce.  
  
"Legolas..." he whispered. He would know that voice anywhere, the elf had sung many times for the Fellowship before all had gone astray in Moria. And even after, though the songs tended to be laments to the great wizard.  
  
"Are you feeling any better, Frodo?" he asked, standing in the doorway in his same elaborate outfit. Now Frodo could tell he was a prince, he never was able to before.  
  
"In body, yes. But in my mind, no, not really. What was that song you were singing just then, Legolas? Something about rebirth..." Frodo replied, curious.  
  
"Actually...I just made it up. So you like it, little one?" he asked.  
  
"It is rather sad, but beautiful. Reminds me of all the singing in Rivendell." he said, smiling a little.  
  
"I would have followed you to the end of all things, Frodo, and you know it. All of us would have. Is it because of Boromir that you left?" Legolas wondered. Frodo shook his head.  
  
"Not completely. The Lady Galadriel told me something...and that was what started it. She knew that the Fellowship would not last...and she told me that I had to go to Mordor alone. And that is what I tried to do, but Sam, stubborn as always, followed me." he said, quiet.  
  
Legolas smiled. "You are lucky to have such a loyal friend, Frodo. He would sacrifice himself for you without giving it a second thought." the elf said, quiet.  
  
"Poor Samwise...I didn't want him to come, but I suppose it's thanks to him that I even got to the Black Gate, let alone all the way to the Cracks of Doom. I should have perished long before if it weren't for him and...."  
  
"Gollum?" Legolas finished. Frodo nodded.  
  
"Yes, Gollum. Though I daresay he would have killed me without Sam there. He tried many times. And even after all of it I trusted him, I was such a fool, I should have listened to Sam."  
  
"You were not yourself then, Frodo. The Ring was taking hold of you, and it clouded your judgement. If you had been of right mind, you would have trusted Sam. It is not your fault, do not even think it."  
  
"How can I not think it? I failed, the Quest would have failed....Gollum and Sam are the heroes, not I. I did nothing right, even when I got to Mount Doom I couldn't cast the Ring in. I even claimed the wretched thing as my own! I failed, and all of Middle-Earth should hate me!"  
  
"Frodo! Stop thinking such horrid thoughts. You are a hero, if not for actually completing the Quest then for having the courage and strength to get as far as you did. No one else could have done it. All things happen for a reason, as Gandalf told you in Moria. You were meant to fail. Gollum was meant to take the Ring from you, thereby ending the Quest himself. You were meant to get only to the end, and have someone else finish for you. All these things were meant to happen, whether we can accept them or not. So, Frodo...don't dwell on it, alright? Just focus on a full recovery, and of feasting down at the feast! The whole of Minas Tirith, as well as the Rohirrim from Gondor and some elves will be there. You must be hungry?"  
  
"Yes, actually, I am. Thank you, Legolas. You have helped much." Frodo said, smiling. The elf smiled back.  
  
"Just take it one step at a time, little one. I shall see you later." he said, walking off down the hall. Sighing, Frodo sat down on the bed. He put his hand to his shoulder and felt the wound there, still a little painful after all these months. Then he felt the wound in his middle, given to him by Shelob, and the pain in it was far worse. He hoped they didn't bother him for long. The spider sting hadn't healed right as he had been tied and unable to really do anything about it, and Sam had no healing things with him. It was bruised still, and ugly, and it stood out from his pale skin. Just looking at it brought back the memory of it as light as day. He could see it clearly, the great ugly spider, towering over him. Gollum, laughing. Sam, fighting, trying to reach him but failing. Then all went dark, and he knew that he was going to die.  
  
Surprisingly, he didn't. And soon, very soon, he would go back home! How he wanted to see Bag End again, and the Gaffer's gardens on Bagshot Row...the Brandywine River, the party tree...it seemed too good to be true. He never thought he would see it again, he believed he would die at Mount Doom, swallowed by the lava. How he wanted to see the fields again, taste the first ripe strawberries, see the birds nesting...it was all so unreal. He wanted to forget about the Ring, but it still haunted his mind. He longed for it. He needed it, and he didn't have it. He couldn't have it, it was gone. And somehow it hurt. That Ring had taken him, the mad desire for it was overwhelming, and the thought that he should never feel it around his neck, never put it on his finger again was unbearable.  
  
Frodo sighed, unfolding the clothes on his bed and dressing for the dinner that would take place later that night. He couldn't go to a feast in a gown, after all! And, even if he knew he didn't deserve it, he would act happy so that everyone would feel better about what they knew he had went through. 


	4. Loathing

Aftermath  
  
Chapter Four: Loathing  
  
Disclaimer: Why must you put an author through such torture? Who in their right mind would think I owned the wonderful works of literature known as Lord of the Rings? Just to let you know...I don't. So there.  
  
A/N: I haven't worked on this in awhile. LOL. I've been slacking off lately! But then again, I've been sick since Feb. 3rd, and out of school most of that time. I was almost driven to the emergency room at the hospital last night, as I kept blacking out and had a nosebleed, and I was vomiting. I remember crying a lot, but I don't remember much else than that, besides what my mom and sister told me. I hate being sick.  
  
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The dining hall at Minas Tirith was full of lavish decorations, and the smell of food. Even Frodo had to admit that he did deserve a meal like this. He hadn't tasted proper food in months, after all. Merry and Pippin were supervising the layout of the dishes, and Frodo wasn't too sure about their reliability. They would pinch food from the tables when the maids weren't looking, he was sure. But then again, he felt as though he hardly recognized his two younger cousins anymore. They had changed so much in the past months that he could hardly remember them as they were back in the Shire.  
  
"Hey, Frodo! We snatched a candy apple for you!" Pippin called, tossing him one of the treats. He caught it, a wide smile on his face. Good old Pippin. Now he could see the little cousin that Pip had been before the Quest. Perhaps he hadn't changed as much as Frodo thought, even though he was a knight of Minas Tirith now. Sam, beside him, eyed the huge turkey on the table hungrily. (I don't know if they had turkey, but I don't care. They had dogs in the movie, so they have turkeys, too.)  
  
"It's like Gandalf told us when we first started out, Mr. Frodo. There'd be lots of unexpected feasts ahead of us. Looks like he was right!" Sam said, grinning. Frodo sighed, wandering away from his companion through the shadows of Mordor.  
  
His mind wandered, and he thought back to some times in the Shire when there had been a great feast. Immediately, Bilbo's party came to mind. He realized now that his uncle's disappearing had marked the fate of himself and the rest of the Fellowship, even if it was many years later when the actual Quest began.  
  
Bilbo's had been a lavish party, even for a hobbit it had been extravagant. Yet this was even bigger than it had been, and Frodo marveled at the work the residents of the city had put in to make this possible. It was all for him and his eight companions, one of which had never made it back. Frodo said a silent prayer to Boromir, knowing now that it was not him that had tried to take the Ring, it was a dark power that had possessed him.  
  
He, too, had been possessed by that dark power, in the fires of Mt. Doom. It angered him that no matter what anyone told him, he still truly believed that he had failed his Quest and that he didn't deserve to even live, let alone be praised as he was. Why couldn't everyone just let him alone and let him wallow in his own misery? Things would be so much easier that way. Before all this had happened, Frodo had been a happy, carefree hobbit. Now he wasn't sure he should be given the right to live. It would take more than people praising him to make him believe it.  
  
Frodo couldn't help it. He loathed the fact that he hadn't been strong enough to complete the task that he had been assigned to fulfill. Someday he would have to face it and realize that things that had happened were not his fault, but the designs of the Gods and fate. Until then, he would hate himself.  
  
A/N: Poor Frodo! *sobs* I'm thinking that Frodo is really going to suffer, once he gets back to the Shire. He won't eat or anything, that's how bad he'll get. Anyways, I finally updated! It has been forever! LOL. This is a short chapter, I realize that. But they will be longer again in the future! Read and Review. Thanks! Namarie! 


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